France's Macron seeks new prime minister after government's collapse

French President Emmanuel Macron is searching for his fifth prime minister in less than two years after opposition parties combined to oust centre-right leader François Bayrou over his unpopular budget-cutting plans.

Bayrou’s nine-month tenure ended on Monday night when he lost a parliamentary confidence vote.

On Tuesday afternoon, he tendered his resignation to Macron, according to the government website, which added that Bayrou and his cabinet would remain in a caretaker role until a successor is appointed.

Whoever Macron names will face the daunting challenge of forging consensus in parliament to secure approval for next year’s budget. France is under mounting pressure to rein in a deficit nearly double the EU’s 3% limit, alongside a debt burden equal to 114% of GDP.

Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu has been floated as a possible successor, while Macron may also consider a centre-left figure or a technocrat. There are no rules dictating his choice or timing, though a government source indicated he could make the appointment as early as Tuesday.

A poll published by RTL on Tuesday found Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally (RN), was the most popular choice among the public, with 43% favouring him. RN leader Marine Le Pen and conservative Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau both drew 36% support.

The RN has urged Macron to step down or call fresh parliamentary elections. Although Macron has dismissed the idea of resigning, surveys suggest most voters would welcome either option. His snap election last year left France with a fractured legislature that has made even basic governance difficult.

Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told France Inter radio: “We need to claim power.”

Meanwhile, French businesses have voiced concern over the fallout of the political crisis.

“The government’s collapse compounds months of instability that have already eroded economic confidence,” said Maya Noël of tech lobby group France Digitale. “For the innovation sector, this instability has an immediate price: it hampers investment and hiring.”

The country is also bracing for “Block Everything” demonstrations on Wednesday, which have spread across social media in echoes of the 2018 Yellow Vest protests.

Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez told BFM TV that 80,000 officers would be deployed nationwide, warning of potential efforts to block major roads and stations, as well as the risk of violent unrest.

Labour unions have separately announced a day of strikes and protests for 18 September.

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